OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

121070 "Jacob Snowbarger" <swtrboy@a...> 2003‑08‑20 where I have been.
Well, here I come crawling/limping back. I think last time I was here
was two years ago before everything went nuts, before moving, and before
the illness. Enough of a nuts to interfere with real school (Iowa
state), which is where I am not at right now, well it just interfered
with about everything. I am currently at, perhaps, what many would
consider a better location for the study of fine woodworking. The
college of the redwoods, took long enough to get in but it did make for
a good boot in the behind to get my head screwed on straight again. Haze
is going and things are mostly returning to normal, a new normal but
normal. And this too is a bit of an interference considering I can
almost taste my BFA. It is just right there at the end of some awfully
boring art history.

Might as well throw in my bio which I didn't get the chance to put in
during one of the last bio binges.

I started out woodworking sitting at the end of a bench watching my dad,
and then setting on the end of board watching my dad's dad, and at the
end of my mom's dad's bench, all were/are very capable cabinet makers,
paternal lineage was formally trained, moms dad's not formally but a
better galoot then the other too, now none are currently practicing at
the level at which they were trained. Dad's dad is now blind and doing
more delicate work then he did while he could see, makes miniature
farming and milling implements. Mom's dad made fine clocks with an
unbelievably under stocked power or galoot shop. My dad has been and
will continue to build the cabinets and furniture for the 1930's
bungalow that I think he is certain will take its place among the many
featured in bungalow magazine.

I, personally, started at about four pounding nails and being helped
with the hand saw. I am sure there are pictures of me in my osh kosh
begosh get up 'helping'. I just kept helping until about fifth grade
when I decided I could do it without anybody helping/watching me. Not so
true, this involved the bandsaw and I had to wait for the permissions to
allow for the onslaught of all power tools. Unfortunately, this meant
power tools and nails. And at this time I believe I suddenly became
fascinated with the mess I could make with a draw knife, block plane,
hand saws, and rasps. This is probably the only thing that held me back
from turning into a dedicated Normite. As I got older I got better and I
think I peaked power tool wise in high school, irregardless of the fact
that I had never taken an industrial arts class, my dad who has an
industrial arts degree and no less taught it was there to ask questions
to about joinery, and finishing, and whatever I needed to know. I mean
what was left, I could build about anything and turn whatever else.

Then the hand tools. Freshman year I decided that even though it was
what I was groomed for engineering just sucked, too easy. Next semester
as an architecture major, I plopped down in to a studio arts class, and
had to cut joints by hand. Excellent fun. Understand how a plane works,
cool, buy and build some. Chisels, files, scrapers. Its on now. The
functional arts are now my main mode of study. And I am now applying the
garnish to my skills at the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking
program.
 
Hopefully when I gradijiate with both my BFA and MFA some university or
college will think I am worthy of teaching what I know to others.

Hopefully, that was not to windy or confusing but there it is. A pretty
comprehensive bio.



Recent Bios FAQ